Leading Navigate’s Innovation and Secondary Research
At the forefront of sports and entertainment analytics, Matt spearheads Navigate’s innovation strategy, ensuring the company remains ahead of emerging trends and disruptive technologies. His focus is on pioneering new methodologies that redefine how brands, properties, and investors measure impact and value in the evolving digital landscape.
Recent innovations include launching the first sports consultancy in the Metaverse, developing an advanced AI-powered digital measurement toolkit using purely observational data, and crafting proprietary models to determine the fair market value of modern marketing vehicles like influencer partnerships, virtual sponsorships, and blockchain-enabled assets.
In addition to driving innovation, Matt leads Navigate’s secondary research team, specializing in valuation and strategic insights across naming rights, jersey sponsorships, multimedia rights, social media, and other commercial assets in pro and college sports. His team provides cutting-edge solutions in sponsorship white space analysis, AI-driven prospecting, ROI modeling, audience segmentation, and property fit assessments to help clients maximize commercial impact.
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, IA
College: University of Iowa; San Diego State University
Fun Facts: Matt has completed three marathons, commits to reading one book per month, and needs two sets of hands to count his golf handicap.
Hobbies: Reading, Golfing, Running, and Ubering his kids to their activities.
Would you rather be the best player on the worst team or the worst player on the best team?
Definitely the worst player on the best team. Looking back at my athletic career, I always found more joy in contributing than leading. My dad had a great saying: ‘Anytime a Balvanz is the best player on the team, that team is in trouble!’
